How to safely store flour

Bulk Flour Storage

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Bulk Flour Storage?

I do quite a bit of baking as part of our frugal lifestyle and would like to purchase a 50# bag of flour. Does anyone have any advice as to what to keep it in? I assume the container would need to seal and have not had any luck finding anything large enough. I expect this flour would last about six months.

I am also considering buying bulk quantities of sugar. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is it harder to store than flour?
Thanks!
Deborah G.

Ziplock Bulk Flour Storage

In order to store flour for any amount of time, I put it in 5-lb. ziplock freezer bags (also sugar). But flour should be put in the freezer for several days to destroy anything growing (absolute necessity if you want to store flour for a long time). After keeping it in the freezer, then store it anywhere dry.
Susan

Popcorn Tins for Bulk Storage

Several years ago I was going to can a lot of pears...our tree put on a bumper crop. So I bought a huge bag of sugar in anticipation. When I had so much sugar left over, I purchased a large round tin with a tight lid. It was about the size that you see in stores around Christmas time filled with popcorn. It worked perfectly. The sugar never got hard and it remained as fresh as the day I bought it.

It also helps to put a few bay leaves in with flour or sugar no matter how you store them. It helps to keep the bugs out.
Linda

Bulk Flour Storage Buckets

What works very well, and I use, are the large ice cream buckets. The ones you can get from an ice cream store hold a lot and are not too large to move around when needed. Label each bucket so you know what's inside.
Kathy

Cans for Bulk Storage

My parents always bought several months' worth of flour throughout my childhood. Because our old farmhouse wasn't mouse-free, Dad used a clean trashcan with a tight-fitting lid for storage. Fresh supplies were purchased only when we were literally "scraping the bottom of the barrel", as it had just enough room for one 25-pound sack! As it had a number of dings and dents, I believe the can was made of metal, probably steel. It has since been replaced by a plastic Rubbermaid version that works just as well. Never fear, no mouse will chew through that thick rubber wall.

If you pick the biggest Rubbermaid trashcan, please beware it is quite heavy when full and not easily moved for floor-mopping and other chores. Perhaps two of the next-smaller size would work better for bulk flour storage.
Maryann

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